I'm really glad they amended that rule on Lenses. I'd have to imagine the author who drafted those rules has very little clue about photography.. I personally tweeted the Austin Statesman that day and he informed me of the rule change. Many fans might have stayed away from the race if they would have known ahead of time that they were unable to bring their DSLR after shelling out significant cash just to attend the race.

I would imagine even that would hack a good number off. At Silverstone there are plenty of people with lenses that would rival the proffesionals, and with the distances betwen the stands and the cars you need a large lens to get really decent photos.

They want you to rent one of those handheld radio/video doohickies at the track. I see "big ass flag on a stick" isn't listed - I'm bringing one of those.

Why would you want a flag with a big ass on it?

Regarding lenses, I think 10 inches lens length limit is a bit arbitrary. Why is there any restriction at all? I have a 50-500mm Sigma zoom which starts at 219 mm (so under ten inches) with a 50mm focal length but almost doubles in physical length at 500mm. If it started at 260mm it wouldn't be much more cumbersome getting through the gates and if it's about bashing the heads of people sitting in the row in front, that extended length plus a petal hood will causes bruises anyway. The Nikon Nikkor 500mm (5x the cost) starts at 350mm physical length and is banned from the off.

It would catch a lot of the 600-800mm lenses, certainly, but I hardly ever see many of these at circuits anyway, unless in the hands of the pro's.

The Texas Rangers tried to sue people for the price of a ticket two/three years ago when the Rangers FINALLY started winning playoff games. They were viewing from a balcony in a high rise just next to The Ballpark In Arlington. Pretty sure there wasn't anything they could actually do, but the office building agreed they wouldn't let the people hang out for a free view. Sounded like political strong arming to me. If I owned that spot I would have my lazyboy and a cooler of beer plopped down right at my fence line.

Oh, I thought they are probably going to build some walls and grandstands there to block the view from outsiders.

Not enough room there for GSs behind the turn to block his view. A privacy fence is probably on the way in the long term, but as you say, that's easily defeated.

I bet that guy is going to have a lot of fun preventing a bunch of people from gathering on his property there, or is there a plan already?

Don't know if he has planned for that, but I'll be he'll have guests of his own. Also, you'd have to know the way to that spot and drive or walk across a lot of private land to get there. I know the way, but only because he showed me.

The Texas Rangers tried to sue people for the price of a ticket two/three years ago when the Rangers FINALLY started winning playoff games. They were viewing from a balcony in a high rise just next to The Ballpark In Arlington. Pretty sure there wasn't anything they could actually do, but the office building agreed they wouldn't let the people hang out for a free view. Sounded like political strong arming to me. If I owned that spot I would have my lazyboy and a cooler of beer plopped down right at my fence line.

Yeah...I guess I've become pretty rebellious in regard to the strongarm tactics these types use. I'd tell them in no uncertain terms what they could go do to themselves.

Good to see this circuit getting non-F1 events, a shame the bosses of the various sports won't let Indy and F1 race on the same track. I think Indycar could do with racing on a full sized sweeping (5km+) circuit, and not just ovals, small street circuits and small race courses. It does make Indy car just seem like some kind of junior race series when you look at the tracks it uses.

Not enough room there for GSs behind the turn to block his view. A privacy fence is probably on the way in the long term, but as you say, that's easily defeated.

Don't know if he has planned for that, but I'll be he'll have guests of his own. Also, you'd have to know the way to that spot and drive or walk across a lot of private land to get there. I know the way, but only because he showed me.

What in the world is F1 coming to? Building what looks like a proper race track in a country with a big motorsports following and two former WDCs? Pshaw! Before we know it they'll be driving around in front of packed full grandstands. It's a disgrace!

I'm really looking forward to this race. When I heard they were bringing F1 back to the US in Texas I had a vision of something very different, and I was plain wrong. This has the makings of the best new track of the lot and we'll at least have plenty of fans in attendance. Well done Texas

hum you probably should have read some of the posts that came after that one..

In any case I really doubt the dude at the gates will attempt to disassemble your gear, these rules are written up to cover for idiots who show up with truly ridiculous stuff that is guaranteed to be annoying to the decent people sat just next to them..

Good to see this circuit getting non-F1 events, a shame the bosses of the various sports won't let Indy and F1 race on the same track.

COTA and ICS have been in discussions. According to the circuit and Indycar there is no provision limiting the circuit to F1 only. I think for 2013 they are trying to get more ovals on the calendar and make sure that Eddie Gossage at TMS in Fort Worth and the new Houston promoters are OK with another race in the market. Mike Lanigan and Mi-Jack have been in the sport for a while and I don't think Nard Dawg wants to upset either one.

COTA and ICS have been in discussions. According to the circuit and Indycar there is no provision limiting the circuit to F1 only. I think for 2013 they are trying to get more ovals on the calendar and make sure that Eddie Gossage at TMS in Fort Worth and the new Houston promoters are OK with another race in the market. Mike Lanigan and Mi-Jack have been in the sport for a while and I don't think Nard Dawg wants to upset either one.

Yeah, I doubt it too...and I just can't see IndyCar pulling off three races in Texas. I know they love Texas and all, since the TMS race gets their 2nd biggest crowd of the year, but it's been doing that while being the only Indy race in the state (minus a couple of years at Reliant in Houston, which as you say returns next year).

I do think Bernard used the possibility of an Austin race as leverage in negotiations with both TMS and Houston, and COTA didn't mind at all, even if they did know it was bs.

Oh dear. All appears not to be well at COTA. Garages haven't been built to spec and are far too small. Teams meeting Charlie to discuss"

If I remember correctly, Charlie Whiting said a while ago in an interview that after the issue with Korea having unsafe corners, he would visit new GPs much more often during their construction to make sure everything is going according to plan.

After Korea and India barely finish as raceable tarmac it figures that the US would get THAT right but f up the buildings..... I know someone pretty high up in one of the contracted companies, see if I can find out any behind doors details to add.

I wonder if a "normal" scanner radio as used here in the US for racing would capture the F1 transmissions.Anybody know?

Over the years the teams have one by one moved to digitally encrypted transmissions.As of the race at Melbourne (and also the British GP) earlier this year the only thing left on analogue was...- Toro Rosso- A channel for pit -> transmissions for the lotus team. (Could hear the race engineer but not driver)

So I think the situation is that if you ever want to hear what F1 comms sound like, this year is probably your only chance before everything is digitally encrypted.

Your scanner can search, so as a starting point heres what was used...Melbourne2012:164.850 Ricciardo164.0375 Vergne457.550 Kimi's Pit457.675 Grosjean's Pit

Oh dear. All appears not to be well at COTA. Garages haven't been built to spec and are far too small. Teams meeting Charlie to discuss"

If I remember correctly, Charlie Whiting said a while ago in an interview that after the issue with Korea having unsafe corners, he would visit new GPs much more often during their construction to make sure everything is going according to plan.

How is that even possible. Not like Tilke has ever built a track before. Surely he gave them the proper specs.

Buston also tweeted it has to do with health and safety inspectors saying the garages are not up size specs. If I had to guess, I would say the garages don't meet requirements for spaces that will have exhaust fumes.

Shocked at this news. How can engineering in this day and age screw up something like this? There should be many checks and balances in the dimensions before this is even allowed to go to the construction stage.

I tweeted the American-StatesmanF1 to try to find out more info. Nothing yet..

Hope for a quick resolution. They do have a month to sort this issue..